Oktoberfest Roundup

Our friends at the California Staats-Zeitung have the lowdown on all of the Oktoberfests going on in the Southern California area. The Oktoberfest issue is the advertising bonanza that they wait all year for: this year's edition is a triple issue, with color (!) pictures.

Anyway, it looks like we can choose from:

• The Phoenix Club, in Anaheim, running from today until October 30th. Tonight is their grand-opening party mit Würdenträgern (dignitaries – had to look that one up) der Stadt Anaheim und der County of Orange. Folkdancing! The Phoenix Chorale! Live bands from 9/30-10/9 and 10/14-10/30. Adult admission $6, free parking.


• Old World, in Huntington Beach. When I was a kid, Old World used to be a fairly fleshed-out European shopping center (and they had rides!) — now they're fading away, except for stuff like this. Open September 11th through October 30th. Admission $10.00 on "Party Nights" (21 & over), $4.00 on "Kinderfest", free on "Family Nights". Live "Oom-Pa-Pah" Band direct from Germany! And of course, the world-famous Chicken Dance! Meet the Oktoberfest shot girl's! (sic — their copywriter must've already met them.)


• Alpine Village, in Torrance, running from September 10th (milk that cash cow!) until October 30th. The granddaddy of them all, and the buyer of most of the CSZ's special-advertising-supplement space. Two brass bands direct from Germany! Contests in woodsawing! Pretzel Eating! Stein Holding(?!?) Cow Milking! Sounds great, except for the fact that we went last year and weren't too impressed.

. . . I suspect that we'll make it over to the Phoenix Club event, since it's right down the road (plus I've always wanted to check out the Phoenix Club, but have never gone before). I don't know if we'll go tonight, though; I wouldn't want to get trampled by all of those Würdenträgern.

And Oktoberfest gave the powers-that-be at the CSZ an excuse to put their favorite Magier Duo back on the front page after a far-too-long absence: it's Siegfried & Roy! Now helping to open Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas. (After an incredible run, I think that this is S&R's first front-page CSZ appearance since my last blog entry on the CSZ, one year ago . . . the Vegas-loving little old lady that I speculated about back then must've retired.)